Here are the 3 finalists for Birmingham police chief

The Birmingham mayor's office on Sunday released the names of the three finalists for police chief.

They are:

* Malik Aziz - currently a division commander with the Dallas Police Department. He has more than 28 years law enforcement experience with the Dallas police force. According to the Dallas Observer, he was a finalist for Dallas police chief in 2016 but at the end of last year was demoted from deputy chief to major.

* Henry Irby III - currently a deputy chief with the Birmingham Police Department. He is currently handling the day-to-day operations of the Birmingham Police Department and is commander of the investigative operations bureau. He has more than 32 years law enforcement experience.

* Patrick D. Smith - currently a police commander with the Los Angeles Police Department. He is over the Police Sciences and Training Bureau. He has more than 27 years law enforcement experience with the Los Angeles police force. Smith is a native of Tuscaloosa.

No deadline has been set on when a new police chief will be named, according to the mayor's office.

"We want to identify the best person to lead the Birmingham Police Department," Woodfin said in a previous statement. "This national search enabled us to look at candidates from across the country and now we will take a close look at the finalists in this process."

A total of 57 candidates applied to be Birmingham's next police chief by the March 1 deadline. The search started on Jan. 23. The applicants included local, regional and national candidates.

According to the mayor's office, 11 out of the 57 candidates were identified by search firm Siena Consulting to go through an assessment process, which occurred on March 19.

The assessment for the chief candidates included a day in the life of a police chief. It included crisis exercises and role playing.

The new chief will replace A.C. Roper who stepped down on Feb. 16 after serving 10 years in the police department's top position. Roper announced his retirement on Nov. 29, a day after Woodfin took office as mayor

Wilson, though, stepped down from his post on Wednesday, April 18 to have a medical procedure. Day-to-day operations are now being handled by Deputy Chief Henry Irby.

AL.com learned, however, that Wilson is under investigation for alleged child abuse in Trussville.

The mother of Wilson's two children filed a request for a protection from abuse order against Wilson. The woman filed the request on April 11 in Jefferson County Family Court, and the records were made public in the online court system on Tuesday, April 17. A judge has not signed off on the order.

The request claims potential sexual abuse of a young girl, and possible physical abuse of a young boy. According to the records, one of the incidents reportedly happened in 2013 and the other in September of 2017.

Woodfin hasn't responded to a request for comment on the allegations. Instead, a spokeswoman reaffirmed that Wilson stepped down due to a needed medical procedure.

Wilson has denied the "false and defamatory" allegations made against him through a statement from his attorney. Attorney Jacqueline Smoke said the claims stemmed from a battle between Wilson and the mother over custody and child support.

Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Philip N. Lisenby was appointed to the case on Thursday after other judges recused themselves. A hearing is set for June on the matter.